Foundry Digital, AntPool, ViaBTC, and F2Pool held over 70% of Bitcoin hashrate on June 23, 2026, per miningpoolstats.stream data. The concentration is driving what coverage describes as a two-tier market, with the largest pools increasingly optimized for institutional clients while independent and mid-size miners face reduced responsiveness and support. D-Central's H1 2026 snapshot, using data as of June 19, 2026, put Bitcoin's Nakamoto coefficient at 3, meaning only 3 pools were needed to exceed half of all blocks mined, raising centralization concerns among network observers.
Four Pools Held 70%+ of Bitcoin Hashrate on June 23, 2026
A July 8, 2026 CryptoSlate partner article, citing miningpoolstats.stream data as of June 23, 2026, reported that Foundry Digital, AntPool, ViaBTC, and F2Pool together accounted for more than 70% of the Bitcoin network's hashrate. The estimated distribution was Foundry at 31%, AntPool at 18%, ViaBTC at 13%, and F2Pool at 10%.
Foundry Digital is US-based and backed by Digital Currency Group. The pool is described as being built primarily for large-scale, institutional operators and publicly traded mining companies, with strict KYC requirements for client onboarding.
Two-Tier Market Structure Emerges in Bitcoin Mining
The CryptoSlate coverage framed the hashrate concentration as creating a two-tier market, where the largest pools increasingly optimize for institutional miners. The reporting stated that when a pool's business is tuned for fleets and compliance-heavy customers, smaller miners can end up feeling like edge cases instead of the core product. Independent and mid-size operators are described as quietly rethinking where they point their machines in response to reduced responsiveness, predictable payouts, and account support.
ViaBTC Faced Regulatory Scrutiny in 2026, EMCD Advertises 1.5% Fees
ViaBTC, which held 13% in the mid-2026 hashrate estimates, faced increasing regulatory scrutiny in 2026 that particularly affected miners tied to Russia and other CIS countries. The reporting described account restrictions, sudden KYC demands, and temporary fund freezes.
In the same coverage, EMCD was positioned as an alternative. EMCD claims over 30 EH/s of hashrate, with fees starting at 1.5% under FPPS, compared with roughly 4% charged by many comparable pools. EMCD was founded in 2017 and made its first pool available in February 2018.
D-Central Reported Nakamoto Coefficient of 3 in H1 2026
In D-Central's H1 2026 snapshot, using data as of June 19, 2026, Bitcoin mining pools had a Nakamoto coefficient of 3, meaning only 3 pools were needed to exceed half of all blocks mined. Foundry USA accounted for roughly 27% of blocks in that dataset.
In the latest 7-day window posted on July 16, 2026, Simple Mining's rankings listed Foundry USA at 27.0%, with F2Pool and AntPool both at 17.2%, ViaBTC at 9.5%, and SpiderPool at 5.5%.
FAQ
What percentage of Bitcoin hashrate did the top four pools control on June 23, 2026?
Foundry Digital, AntPool, ViaBTC, and F2Pool together held more than 70% of Bitcoin's hashrate on June 23, 2026, according to miningpoolstats.stream data cited in a July 8, 2026 CryptoSlate partner article. The estimated distribution was Foundry at 31%, AntPool at 18%, ViaBTC at 13%, and F2Pool at 10%.
What is Bitcoin's Nakamoto coefficient as of H1 2026?
D-Central's H1 2026 snapshot, using data as of June 19, 2026, reported a Nakamoto coefficient of 3 for Bitcoin mining pools, meaning only 3 pools were needed to exceed half of all blocks mined. Foundry USA accounted for roughly 27% of blocks in that dataset.
